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Cougars & Mustangs

Summertime in SLO means different things to different people: summer school for ambitious students, beach time for slackers, vacations for the wealthy, and the usual grind for the common folk. Here at New Times, we’re a mixture of all the above. At Cal Poly, however, some students celebrated summertime by competing in a canoe race in a boat made out of recycled toilets.

The porcelain gods were shining down on Mustang students as they claimed the “America’s Cup of Civil Engineering” for the second consecutive year at the American Society of Civil Engineers National Concrete Canoe Competition on June 18 at Audubon State Park in Henderson, Ky.

Cal Poly made the best out of a crappy situation and edged out 22 other universities from the United States and Canada with a 208-pound, ocean-themed canoe made from concrete and recycled toilets—which they named the Cetacea.

“The toilet aggregate surprised a lot of people,” said project captain Chad Inlow. “We wanted to do something unique. We brainstormed possible solutions for more than two weeks, and then the idea of using recycled toilets occurred to me.”

The white porcelain was a good match for the boat’s white concrete, and it produced a smooth finish that helped the team score well in design and aesthetics. In addition, the project kept 600 pounds of porcelain from going into a landfill.

Overall, Cal Poly took home No. 1 honors by channeling the No. 2 and reminded everyone that, when it comes to engineering, they are the shit.

Ever thought about living your dreams vicariously through your children and becoming a stage parent? If you answered anything besides “Definitely not!” then Cal Poly has a treat for you.

The Central Coast university is offering a summer drama workshop, conducted by the skilled facilitators of the Missoula Children’s Theatre Company July 5 to 9 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Children will experience the excitement of crafting a fully-staged production of the original play, King Arthur’s Quest—which will be performed twice at the Spanos Theatre. Workshop fee is $80 per child, which includes snacks, refreshments, and a workshop T-shirt.